UNC men's basketball's Marcus Paige out with broken hand

On Oct. 12, North Carolina guard Marcus Paige sat in the Smith Center fielding questions from reporters about the 2015-16 season.

After dealing with multiple injuries during his junior season — most notably plantar fasciitis in his right foot — and undergoing surgery on his right ankle in April, among the first questions Paige was asked regarded his health status.

“I feel really good. Last couple weeks of pickup leading into conditioning, I felt like I was 100 percent,” Paige said.

“And that’s carried into practice. After the first week of practice, everyone is nicked up from going so hard in practice and stuff, but I feel great.”

Now, Paige’s health is once again a hot topic for the Tar Heels.

UNC announced Wednesday that the senior will be sidelined three to four weeks after fracturing a bone in his right, non-shooting hand during Tuesday’s practice.

That time frame will include Friday’s exhibition against Guilford.

With Paige’s injury, the Tar Heels, who enter the season as the No. 1 team in the country, will now be forced to shuffle their lineup.

“I hate it for Marcus,” said Coach Roy Williams in a statement.

“He’s such a wonderful young man — one of the most outstanding people I have been lucky to coach. I know he’ll handle this with the same level of maturity and responsibility that he does everything else.”

Paige, who has missed only one game during his three-year career, was recently selected as the ACC Co-Preseason Player of the Year by the ACC media. He has also been named a preseason All-American by multiple media outlets.

Paige has averaged 13.2 points per game and has recorded 474 assists during his career. He has made 225 career 3-pointers, leaving him nine short of becoming UNC’s all-time 3-point leader.

If he sits out the projected time frame, Paige will miss UNC’s game at Northern Iowa on Nov. 21. The game was scheduled as a homecoming game for Paige, who is from Marion, Iowa.

The Tar Heels face No. 3 Maryland on Dec. 1 in Chapel Hill. The game against the Terrapins falls exactly four weeks after the day Paige suffered his injury.

With Paige out, UNC will turn to junior guard Nate Britt and sophomore guard Joel Berry to fill the senior’s void. Berry shot 50 percent on 3-pointers to conclude his first-year season.

First-year guard Kenny Williams could also see more playing time, and the Tar Heels will likely rely on sophomore forward Justin Jackson to serve as their top-scoring threat from the perimeter.

“Our team will certainly be challenged in his absence,” said Williams in the statement.

“We will need everyone up and down the roster to step up their games and take care of each other and our team until he gets back.”

@patjames24

sports@dailytarheel.com